In the construction industry, it is frequently desirable to protect workers and buildings under construction from the weather. Contractors normally erect scaffolding around the outside of structures upon which the work is to be performed. Such scaffolding provides support for workers and tools so that work may be done on the structure at elevated levels. Scaffold enclosures are generally applied to the outside of the scaffolding, after it has been erected to create a weatherproof environment around the scaffold and the structure. Prior art scaffold enclosures have frequently been complicated and cumbersome, and they have required significant expense and time to erect. The enclosures have also been difficult to open or close as needed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,586,126 to Eickhof discloses an elongated framework constructed with sufficient rigidity for mounting between a pair of shorings and depending scaffolding therefrom. A roll of flexible protective material is affixed to the framework to produce at least a partial enclosure about a work area when in at least a partially unrolled position. Means are affixed to the framework for supporting the roll of material and providing the rolling and unrolling action thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,805,816 to Nolte discloses a protective covering for sheltering all sides of a scaffold. A rectangular covering element has hook-shaped telescoping profile bars and clamping lugs on two sides thereof, while the opposite sides have slots for receiving connection cables. Vertically adjacent covering elements are pushed or slipped into each other by means of hook-shaped profile bars which are secured to the edge of each covering element and which telescope into one another. Clamping lugs hold adjacent bars together. Horizontally adjacent cover elements overlap one another and are attached to the vertical struts of the scaffold construction by means of individual connection cables fitted through slots and individually ties around the vertical strut. Alternatively, an alligator clip-like cable may be utilized for this purpose.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,715 to Vitanen discloses a scaffold enclosure having a plurality of plastic sheets with beaded portions which are held together in a related assembly to the scaffolding by attachment members which partly surround the beaded portions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,889 to Jankowski discloses a scaffold enclosure having a plurality of panels with hook and loop closure straps for securing the panel to various scaffold struts. Each panel also has continuous strips of hook and loop closures on the inner and outer surfaces at each edge. The panels may be engaged on one another to form a barrier.
However, the scaffold enclosures noted above suffer in several aspects which make burdensome or impractical to use. For some of the enclosures, the assembly is time and labor intensive. Some of the enclosures require intricate positioning and securing of individual panels which consumes so much time and labor as to negate any advantage that the enclosures provide.
Yet another limitation of these enclosures is that the barrier cannot be easily opened or closed. Certain enclosures that are fixed to the scaffold cannot be opened without disassembling the enclosure. Because this is so time consuming, the enclosure is typically left in place until the entire project is finished even though the enclosure may be in the way at certain points in the construction process.
When the weather is pleasant and sunny, it is useful to open the enclosure and let the sun light up the construction area or assist drying of materials. In addition, it is frequently necessary to remove portions of the enclosure to allow passage of materials and equipment to the structure. Conversely, during cold, windy, or wet weather it would be desirable to close the enclosure to protect the construction and the workers. If extremely high winds from storms, tornadoes, or hurricanes are present, the enclosure should be opened to allow the wind to pass through the scaffold rather than risk the scaffold being blown down. It is desirable to have a scaffold enclosure that could be routinely used at construction sites to improve control over construction scheduling and avoid delays
Furthermore, it is desirable to have a scaffold enclosure that requires little storage space, takes low maintenance, and has a low cost.